Tracking the Filling, Outburst Flood and Resulting Subglacial Water Channel From a Large Canadian Arctic Subglacial Lake

Abstract We use digital elevation models (DEMs) and ICESat‐2 data to study the filling and outflow from a large subglacial lake under Manson Icefield in the Canadian Arctic. When full, the lake is ∼17 × 3 km with an area of 52 km2. Early in 2021 the ice surface over the center of the lake sank by &g...

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Main Authors: Laurence Gray, Benoît Lauzon, Luke Copland, Wesley VanWychen, Christine Dow, Will Kochtitzky, Karen E. Alley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-10-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110456
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author Laurence Gray
Benoît Lauzon
Luke Copland
Wesley VanWychen
Christine Dow
Will Kochtitzky
Karen E. Alley
author_facet Laurence Gray
Benoît Lauzon
Luke Copland
Wesley VanWychen
Christine Dow
Will Kochtitzky
Karen E. Alley
author_sort Laurence Gray
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We use digital elevation models (DEMs) and ICESat‐2 data to study the filling and outflow from a large subglacial lake under Manson Icefield in the Canadian Arctic. When full, the lake is ∼17 × 3 km with an area of 52 km2. Early in 2021 the ice surface over the center of the lake sank by >140 m implying a subglacial outburst flood of ∼4 km3. Rapid outflow occurred over ∼30 days at an average rate of ∼1,500 m3s−1 resulting in the formation of a single ∼15 km subglacial outflow path detectable from post‐outflow surface depression. The shape of the surface depression, 600–800 m wide by 2–4 m deep, reflects the shape of the subglacial channel prior to closure. Downstream ice movement appears unaffected by the outflow. After outflow ends the surface depression persisted over weeks, apparently dependent on the difference between water and overburden pressures.
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publishDate 2024-10-01
publisher Wiley
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-45b3f97eee6e48e2a4b8a779cd5e662c2025-08-20T02:45:43ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-10-015119n/an/a10.1029/2024GL110456Tracking the Filling, Outburst Flood and Resulting Subglacial Water Channel From a Large Canadian Arctic Subglacial LakeLaurence Gray0Benoît Lauzon1Luke Copland2Wesley VanWychen3Christine Dow4Will Kochtitzky5Karen E. Alley6Department of Geography Environment and Geomatics University of Ottawa Ottawa ON CanadaDepartment of Geography Environment and Geomatics University of Ottawa Ottawa ON CanadaDepartment of Geography Environment and Geomatics University of Ottawa Ottawa ON CanadaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Management University of Waterloo Waterloo ON CanadaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Management University of Waterloo Waterloo ON CanadaSchool of Marine and Environmental Programs University of New England Biddeford ME USACentre for Earth Observation Science University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB CanadaAbstract We use digital elevation models (DEMs) and ICESat‐2 data to study the filling and outflow from a large subglacial lake under Manson Icefield in the Canadian Arctic. When full, the lake is ∼17 × 3 km with an area of 52 km2. Early in 2021 the ice surface over the center of the lake sank by >140 m implying a subglacial outburst flood of ∼4 km3. Rapid outflow occurred over ∼30 days at an average rate of ∼1,500 m3s−1 resulting in the formation of a single ∼15 km subglacial outflow path detectable from post‐outflow surface depression. The shape of the surface depression, 600–800 m wide by 2–4 m deep, reflects the shape of the subglacial channel prior to closure. Downstream ice movement appears unaffected by the outflow. After outflow ends the surface depression persisted over weeks, apparently dependent on the difference between water and overburden pressures.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110456subglacial lakejökulhlaupsubglacial channel
spellingShingle Laurence Gray
Benoît Lauzon
Luke Copland
Wesley VanWychen
Christine Dow
Will Kochtitzky
Karen E. Alley
Tracking the Filling, Outburst Flood and Resulting Subglacial Water Channel From a Large Canadian Arctic Subglacial Lake
Geophysical Research Letters
subglacial lake
jökulhlaup
subglacial channel
title Tracking the Filling, Outburst Flood and Resulting Subglacial Water Channel From a Large Canadian Arctic Subglacial Lake
title_full Tracking the Filling, Outburst Flood and Resulting Subglacial Water Channel From a Large Canadian Arctic Subglacial Lake
title_fullStr Tracking the Filling, Outburst Flood and Resulting Subglacial Water Channel From a Large Canadian Arctic Subglacial Lake
title_full_unstemmed Tracking the Filling, Outburst Flood and Resulting Subglacial Water Channel From a Large Canadian Arctic Subglacial Lake
title_short Tracking the Filling, Outburst Flood and Resulting Subglacial Water Channel From a Large Canadian Arctic Subglacial Lake
title_sort tracking the filling outburst flood and resulting subglacial water channel from a large canadian arctic subglacial lake
topic subglacial lake
jökulhlaup
subglacial channel
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110456
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